Skiers may have to wear a helmet

A leading British insurer has signalled that it will become the first to insist skiers wear helmets if they are to be covered for head injuries. Stuart Bensusan of Essential Travel says he is working to make his company the first to adopt a policy of ”no helmet, no head injury cover”.

He also hopes to get the policy adopted by his parent company, the Thomas Cook Group, and push all other insurers into following suit. If successful, it would be the biggest step yet towards helmets becoming effectively compulsory for skiers and snowboarders.

In Italy it is obligatory for children to wear a helmet. Some skiers have welcomed the changes, but Boris Johnson, the London mayor, has regularly ranted about how any such requirement would be an infringement of his civil liberty to hurt himself.

Research published in the British Medical Journal suggests helmets could reduce head injuries by 35% in adult skiers.